In some communication systems, communication devices of different communication protocols operate in proximity to one another and in adjacent or overlapping frequency bands. Because of the proximity in location and frequency, such systems may be prone to interference.
Various techniques for coexistence between different communication protocols are known in the art. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0275746, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a communication method that includes establishing a first communication session over a first connection between a wireless terminal and a base station (BS) of a long-range wireless data network, which operates in accordance with a first protocol that defines a sequence of time frames. Based on the time frames defined by the BS, time slots are allocated for establishing a second communication session over a second connection between the wireless terminal and a peripheral wireless device, which operates in accordance with a second, short-range time-slotted communication protocol different from the first protocol. Time intervals are allocated within the time frames for communication between the BS and the wireless terminal over the first connection, such that the allocated time intervals are interleaved with and do not overlap the allocated time slots. The first and second communication sessions are concurrently conducted in the allocated time intervals and the assigned time slots, respectively.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0129367, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method for communication that includes allocating time intervals for a first communication session over a first connection between a wireless terminal and a base station of a long-range wireless data network, which operates in accordance with a first protocol defining time frames having downlink and uplink sub-frames. Time slots are allocated for a second communication session over a second connection between the terminal and a peripheral wireless device, which operates in accordance with a second, short-range time-slotted protocol, which is different from the first protocol and has a retransmission mechanism. The time slots are synchronized with the downlink and uplink sub-frames defined by the BS. Operation of the second connection is inhibited during some of the time slots that overlap the downlink sub-frames, so as to invoke the retransmission mechanism and cause the terminal to transmit only during the time slots that do not overlap the downlink sub-frames.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,542,728, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes Apparatus for communication that includes at least one RF receiver circuit, which is coupled to receive and down-convert first and second RF signals that are transmitted respectively over different, first and second wireless networks in accordance with different, first and second network protocols, so as to output first and second down-converted signals. A baseband processing circuit includes processing components that are coupled to receive and process the first and second down-converted signals so as to extract first and second data from the signals. The processing components have a first configuration for demodulating the first down-converted signals in accordance with the first network protocol and a second configuration for demodulating the second down-converted signals in accordance with the second network protocol.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,545,787 and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0142504, whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference, describe a method for communication that includes establishing a first connection between a wireless terminal and a base station of a long-range wireless data network, which operates in accordance with a first protocol that defines a sequence of time frames for transmission of data between the wireless terminal and the base station. A signal is sent from the wireless terminal to the base station identifying an interval including one or more of the time frames during which the wireless terminal will not receive data from the base station. During the interval, a second connection is established between the wireless terminal and an access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN) in accordance with a second protocol, different from the first protocol.